GardenBook

 Eucalyptus is an introduced presence that looms over and defines many regions of California , rows of them providing windbreaks in agricultural areas and lining highways . Many consider them to be 'weed trees' , with their year round leaf-drop and reputation for flammability-a notable example of the latter being the devastating  Oakland Hills fire of 1991 . Debates abound over the wisdom or foolishness of their presence here-Eucs are second only to Redwood in the arena of controversial trees in our fair state.  I admit that I love them. I love their looks, I love the fragrance-they are the most significant  tree of my childhood and the first tree I ever planted as a homeowner. Like a wayward and beloved friend I forgive them over and over for their defects. Ironically I don't currently own one, and in all likelihood I never will-they are far too large for my tiny lot. But I can step outside and see them along the river to the east,and on the hillside to the south....

 As the home garden continues to look disheveled, in need of Prince Charming stopping by with his machete' , photos from other places are clearly more pleasing. For those who asked, the goods brought home from the sale at the Bancroft Garden last weekend included a Spiral Aloe , Echeveria gibbiflora 'Etna', Echeveria 'Afterglow', Mangave 'Bloodspot' , a species Gasteria, Kalanchoe 'Mother of Millions (!!! not a mistake I hope) and Agave 'Cornelius' for which I am providing a foster home til it moves in permanently with Denise . Here are a few more photos from this grande' cool  garden.

 Commuter mug loaded with Peets French roast, camera in the backpack with suitable size memory card and an extra battery, it was off this morning to The Ruth Bancroft Garden for the fall sale. Membership entitles a visitor to two hours of shopping and garden touring before the gates are open to the general public and full advantage was taken of both; the shopping was accomplished briskly,  the plants safely stowed in the car  and the camera retrieved from the back pack. Don't believe I've ever taken less than 100 images at this garden, a place that I find intensely photogenic. With the bulk of the visitors buzzing around the plant sales area, I had the garden nearly to myself . And here is the grande finale  for this huge Agave -those readers and garden bloggers following the doings over at Rancho Reubidoux can preview the inevitable end to that story.

..I'm not buying anymore plants.Well, except for the sale at the Ruth Bancroft next weekend. Bulbs don't count-it's fall, you need bulbs , right ?  These 2 were 30% off today at Cottage Gardens in Petaluma. No contest for which one gets the cool pot purchased in August --got to be the Agave. Pigskin gloves are at the ready for the operation.

...except the Coleus. Nothing fancy or avant garde  about these guys, but great pleasure is taken every spring in seeking out new specimens , and potting up the cuttings that have struggled and prevailed in their inhospitable winter digs -a glass of seldom changed tap water in a sporadically heated house. Pots are staged in partial shade locations around the garden . I pout concerning my limited site choices-friends in climates that have humidity and rain during summer seem to be able to put them anywhere. I do, however, get to put them out earlier and bring them in later. Trade-offs.     

  Roses have been a feature here and in every garden that has owned me- the inventory is still 60-ish. They've been tucked in where ever the 6 hours of direct sun can be relied on , and the fences hold up the climbers. The patio cover over Succulent Alley features both  Lady Banks and Cecile Bruner, 2 monsters that should probably never be in the same garden unless you have an acre - and I am far from that type of real estate.  I believe that Cecile and the Lady are in fact holding the pergola up rather than the reverse. This particular infrastructure has seen better days, but the cap-ex budget is drained.  The roses are being re-thought this fall , and the under performers that I have tolerated for too many years are on the way out..'Evelyn' is in the yard waste bin as we speak. Ugly knees, weak necks, black spot, rust..adios dudes. Day Breaker (Floribunda, 2004) has earned it's place. There is rarely a time from late April to November when it has no blooms, and...

 A foggy Sunday morning is a good time to take a stroll around the north coast village of Mendocino in search of gardens . The tide was out in the estuary and the ocean could not be heard or seen. This is not an easy place to live..it's isolated , jobs are few and far between , winter clothes never get packed away , and there are logistical problems for those prone to car sickness. Tough all these out, and you will find yourself in place of extraordinary natural beauty , where most of your neighbors have gardens.In fact, most of your neighbors will either be a B&B or a vacation rental.  The only industry is tourism, thus we see a walkable town of charming cottages with gardens in the front, the back and in the alley. It sits perched on the headlands above some of the most stunning coastline in the west. I recommend breakfast at the Bayview Cafe , Irish Coffee at the Mendocino Hotel, and a visit to Gallery Books. Just make sure you bring a sweatshirt. ...